RoR: Forum

On the other hand, Tim, if you feel the need to giddy-up & chase Basil Brush across the dales, you're shit out of luck thanks to Labour.

You may also have a nice shiny ID card to carry around within a few years. Papers, please, mein Herr!!

Remember Orwell's 1984? The state had a porno section & Victory Gin to keep the proles happy. No need for revolution when you've got plenty of sex & booze.

Still, good to hear there's a Drooling Objectivist Beast on the other side of the planet as well. Should keep things nicely in balance :-)

Ross

Post 1

Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 1:47am

Ross

To be honest the change in the law is about 5 years too late to have a huge benefit for me. But it is an issue that got me personally very pissed off on many occasions in the past. 11.00 closing is ridiculous for a city that should be one of the most happening places in the world.

Not sure about the relevance of the Orwell comparison. The government isn't supplying the alcohol, simply giving people the freedom to choose. Isn't that what we're all about?

As for Labour's sins, I couldn't agree more. For those issues just switch the thread title around :-)

Post 2

Thursday, November 24, 2005 - 5:35pm

I am amazed at what has happened to the people of England over the years. What a nanny-state it has become. Less than a hundred years ago Englishmen would have made the politicians who proposed such a thing as restricting pub hours do a "tap dance on air" under he nearest lampost.

Now they lamely grumble and write letters-to-the-editor.

Post 3

Friday, November 25, 2005 - 1:42am

The Tories are just in "oppose everything Labour does mode" partly, but there is also an undercurrent of "we the born-to-rule class don't want the lumpen proletariat drinking themselves so silly they cannot turn up at work at 9am to do what we ask of them". This inherent Tory mistrust of the average person comes out in their attitude to most social matters - drink, drugs, sex. Tory councils are notorious busybodies much like Labour ones. Hopefully David Cameron can shake it up a little bit, but it is too much to hope for the Tories to take their professed belief in economic liberalism and translate it into social liberalism - it would offend the geriatrocracy that comprises half of its membership far too much.

Post 4

Friday, November 25, 2005 - 5:44am

People tend to get the government they deserve in a democracy.

Post 5

Saturday, November 26, 2005 - 8:00am

What's the UK Liberal Democratic party's take on all this? Are they a real option?

Post 6

Saturday, November 26, 2005 - 5:00pm

Tim, Orwell's point about the state providing "vices" like porn & alcohol was that it kept the population happy on one hand while removing freedom on the other. That's exemplified in the modern world by the growth of PC & third-way policies traded off against a relaxation of conservative social mores. A sugar-coated, bitter pill. A rose in a fisted glove.

Ross

Post 7

Tuesday, November 29, 2005 - 9:57pm